Potentilla plant named &#39;Minjau03&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Potentilla  plant named ‘Minjau03’ is disclosed. The new variety is characterized by exhibiting semi-double yellow colored flowers, forming dark green colored foliage, and providing moderately vigorous rounded and compact growth habit. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Plant Breeders' Right Application Number 2019/1501, which was filed at Community Plant Variety Office in the European Union on Jun. 20, 2019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Potentilla fruticosa.

Variety denomination: ‘Minjau03’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Potentilla plant botanically known as Potentilla fruticosa and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Minjau03’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France, during July 2010. The objective of the breeding program was to develop double flowers in the Potentilla genus.

The new cultivar was discovered in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France. The new Potentilla cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is an unnamed breeder seedling, (not patented), characterized by its semi double yellow flowers, yellow and red flower buds, and moderate compact growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is an unnamed breeder seedling (not patented), characterized by its semi-double pink colored flowers and compact growth habit.

The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during September 2012 in a controlled environment in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings since September 2012 in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Minjau03’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Potentilla plant:

-   -   (a) forms semi-double yellow colored flowers,     -   (b) exhibits dark green colored foliage; and     -   (c) provides moderately vigorous, rounded and compact growth         habit.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the female parent (i.e., the seed parent) displays darker yellow colored flowers which are less semi-double and exhibits a less rounded growth habit compared to the new variety. The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) displays pink colored flowers, whereas the new variety displays yellow colored flowers and exhibits a more rounded growth habit compared to the male parent.

Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished from other similar non-parental varieties. Of the many commercially available Potentilla cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Potentilla ‘Yellow Bird’ (not patented). However, plants of ‘Yellow Bird’ exhibit a larger growth habit and provide less flowering compared to the new variety. In addition, the new variety forms green reddish colored sepals, whereas plants of ‘Yellow Bird’ form green colored sepals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the new variety. The illustrated plants of the new variety were grown in field for 15 months in an outdoor nursery in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of the plant—side view of the overall growth and flowering habit.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a flower cluster—close-up view.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart), London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The color values were determined in June 2020 under natural light conditions in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

The following descriptions, including measurements, is based on the observation of specimens of the new variety during 2020 produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in field for approximately 15 months in an outdoor nursery in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France. Plants were pinched once after transplant.

-   Botanical classification: Potentilla fruticosa cultivar Minjau03. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed breeder seedling, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unnamed breeder seedling, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Stem cutting.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 40 to 60 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 80 to 100             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 36 months from a rooted             cutting to finish in 17.0 cm container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact and bushy growth habit.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             approximately 40.0 cm on average. — width: approximately             60.0 cm on average.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. — quantity of main branches per plant:             approximately 120 on average.         -   Branch.—Strength: strong, somewhat flexible, becomes woody             with age. — length: approximately 15.0 cm on average. —             diameter: approximately 3.0 mm on average. — length of             central internode: approximately 1.5 cm on average. —             texture: pubescent. — color of young stems: commonly near             Greyed-Red Group 178A. — color of mature stems: commonly             near Brown Group 200C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:             approximately 35 on average. — quantity of leaves per             branched lateral stem: approximately 10 on average. —             fragrance: none detected. — form: palmately compound, 3 to 5             leaflets present. — arrangement: alternate compound. —             durability to stress: moderate to high. — aspect: healthy             all the season.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: primarily perpendicular to stem. — shape:             oblong. — margin: entire. — apex: obtuse. — base: acute. —             venation pattern: pinnate and inconspicuous. — length of             mature leaf: approximately 2.0 cm on average. — width of             mature leaf: approximately 2.0 cm on average. — texture of             upper and lower surfaces: soft, pubescent. — color of upper             surface of mature foliage: commonly near Green Group 138B. —             color of lower surface of mature foliage: commonly near             Green Group 138C.         -   Petiole.—Shape: orbicular. — length: approximately 7.0 mm on             average. — width: approximately 1.0 mm on average. —             texture: pubescent. — color: commonly near Greyed-Red Group             178A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing             conditions with substantially continuous blooming from late             spring through mid-fall.         -   Lastingness of individual flower.—Approximately 5 days.             Self-cleaning. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: solitary, axillary at the apex of             stems. — quantity of open inflorescences per plant:             approximately 100 on average. — fragrance: none. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Semi-double, even in late season of blooming.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: flattened globose. — length:             approximately 5.0 mm on average. — diameter: approximately             6.0 mm on average. — texture: soft. — color of petals:             commonly near Yellow Group 6C.         -   Corolla.—Shape: rotate. — depth: approximately 0.7 cm on             average. — diameter: approximately 2.5 cm on average.         -   Petals.—Shape: obovate to orbicular. — margin: entire,             sinuate. — apex: orbicular. — length: approximately 10.0 mm             on average. — width: approximately 11.0 mm on average. —             texture of upper and lower surfaces: soft, smooth. — color             of upper and lower surfaces when first and fully open:             commonly near Yellow Group 6A. — number of petals:             approximately 15 per flower on average.         -   Calyx.—Shape: bowl, convex base. — length: approximately             2.0 mm. — diameter: approximately 3.3 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. — apex: acute. — margin:             entire. — length: approximately 5.1 mm on average. — width:             approximately 3.0 mm on average. — texture of inner surface:             pubescent. — texture of outer surface: pubescent. — color of             inner and outer surfaces: commonly near Yellow-Green Group             145B with near Greyed-Red Group 179A. — sepal deflowering             color: commonly near Yellow-Green Group 145B with near             Greyed-Red Group 179A.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: good. — length: approximately 4.6 mm on             average. — diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm on average. —             texture: pubescent. — color: commonly near Yellow-Green             Group 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: — stamen quantity:             approximately 18 per flower. — anther shape: cordate. —             anther length: approximately 3.0 mm. — anther color:             commonly near Yellow-Orange Group 15A. — pollen amount:             scarce. — pollen color: commonly near Yellow-Orange Group             15A. — Gynoecium: — pistil quantity: approximately 30 per             flower. — pistil length: approximately 3.0 mm on average. —             stigma shape: capitate. — stigma length: approximately 1.0             mm on average. — stigma color: commonly near Yellow Group             2A. — style length: approximately 2.0 mm on average. — style             color: commonly near Yellow Group 2A. — ovary length:             approximately 0.5 mm on average. — ovary color: commonly             near Yellow-Green Group 145A. -   Development:     -   -   Seed and fruit production.—Not observed to date.         -   Disease and pest resistance.—Resistance to pathogens and             pests common to Potentilla has not been observed.

Plants of ‘Minjau03’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Potentilla plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms semi-double yellow colored flowers, (b) exhibits dark green colored foliage, and (c) provides moderately vigorous, rounded and compact growth habit; substantially as herein shown and described. 